1998 · PLA Air Force flight test and training centre, Cangzhou, Hebei, China
Cangzhou: radar alarm and a JJ-6 chase
Part ofOrdered to fire
From the accounts: a JJ-6 went up after an arch-topped object with rows of lights and a downward beam over a PLA Air Force test centre in Hebei, 19 October 1998. · Illustration for uaptrail.com
When19 October 1998, 23:00–23:40
WherePLA Air Force flight test and training centre, Cangzhou, Hebei, China
Late on 19 October 1998 the radars at a Chinese Air Force test centre in Hebei alarmed on an object with no civil traffic about. Ground crew saw it hover with lights and a downward beam, and a JJ-6 fighter went up; the pilots described a round, arch-topped object with rows of lights that stayed above them as they climbed until low fuel turned them back. The story is known from a 1999 newspaper article.
How plausible · Moderate
Radar alarms and a fighter scramble at a PLA test centre, from one state-group newspaper; later retellings add details.
- ●●Access Base radar operators, ground crew and pilots.
- ●●Physical traces or official reaction Four radars alarmed and a JJ-6 launched.
- ●○No gain sought Reported in a newspaper, not sold.
- ●○Restraint The 1999 article reports and doesn't explain.
- ●○Character record A state-group paper citing base staff.
- ●○Independent convergence Residents reported it too (in later tellings).
Against
- −Story grew The gunsight lock and 140 residents appear only in later retellings.
- −Lone source, no corroboration One article.
Plausibility weighs how well an account fits where secrecy hides the documents by design, so missing records never count against it. Strength measures what is documented. Assessed 2026-10-23.
Claims
Four radars alarmed with no civil traffic; ground crew saw a 'star' split into red and white lights, then a 'short-stemmed mushroom' with lights and a downward beam hovering at 1,500 m. A JJ-6 launched; the pilots saw a round object with an arched top, flat bottom and rows of lights, which stayed about 2,000 m above them as they climbed to 12,000 m; ground radar kept tracking it.secondhandSourced, unconfirmedChen Li, Shenghuo Shibao (4 May 1999), citing Feidie Tansuo
The co-pilot locked his gunsight and asked to fire; the commander said 'identify first'; about 140 residents saw it.speculationLeadlater retellings
Where
PLA Air Force flight test and training centre, Cangzhou, Hebei, China
38.3°N 116.8°E
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